Jordanian Parliament condemns Eldad petition as 'racist'

National Union MK says "Jordan is already a Palestinian state;" lawmakers call remarks "extremist, provocative."

Arieh Eldad 311 (photo credit: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich)
Arieh Eldad 311
(photo credit: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich)
The Lower House of Jordan's Parliament condemned MK Arye Eldad (National Union) on Thursday for calling Jordan the Palestinian homeland.
"We in the House of Deputies strongly denounce those extremist, racist and provocative remarks and ask the government to take a firm line against such statements, which are meant to insult Jordan and its people," a statement released by the parliament read.
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On Jordanian Independence Day last Tuesday, Eldad attempted to present the Jordanian Embassy in Ramat Gan with a petition to make the country the official homeland of the Palestinian people.
The House of Deputies' statement, released to Jordan's official news agency, Petra, explained that "such racist remarks compel the world community to assume its legal, ethical and humanitarian responsibilities to force Israel to heed to international resolutions concerning the Palestinian cause and solve the Arab-Israeli conflict to enable Palestinians to fully regain their legitimate rights."
"Such statements will not in any way affect Jordan with all its components," the statement said. "Jordan is an independent and sovereign nation, deep-rooted in history and capable of defending its rights and sacred soil with the resolve of its leadership and people."
Eldad, head of Hatikva, one of the four parties that make up the National Union, told The Jerusalem Post on Friday that the Jordanian embassy refused to accept his petition, calling the reaction "like a man's refusal to look in the mirror."
"Jordan is already a Palestinian state," the National Union MK said. "This isn't an arguable point; it's reality."
He added: "I would like to remind King Abdullah what his father, King Hussein, said: Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan, and anyone who says otherwise is a traitor."
"Why is the parliament acting as traitors, against the declaration of a king?" Eldad asked.
In response to the Jordanian Parliament's call for the government to take action against Eldad's statements, the MK said: "Thank God I live in the State of Israel and am not subject to the will of Arabs in Jordan or in any other place in the world."